Having a bit of trouble finding the right word! I'm writing about an object of immeasurable power that is set off like a bomb. I'd like to say: 'We unleashed its [absolutely unimaginable energy]' - without using the words power or energy. At the moment I have got, 'We unleashed its omnipotence' but not sure that's the right use of the word. Any help would be greatly appreciated (a word that personifies the object would be fine). Thank you!
I'm not going to help you find a word, but I will share a couple thoughts: often when I am writing and I know the word choice or phrasing isn't quite right, but I want to move on, I just highlight it (like bold it or change font size if you are using M Word), then come back to it later and many times just the right word(s) pop in my head on that 2nd or 3rd look. Also, I often will Google "synonym for ----" or have thesaurus.com open while I am writing. I see you are a new member--welcome.
Why don't you rather describe the power? Show us its power and energy - that would be far more effective than any noun in this case I believe. A verb would be much more suitable (for example, blast) because motion is implied. Any kind of "telling" where you wanna really make your reader feel this object's power and deadliness will miss the mark, in my opinion. Keep it simple. I think this is one of those occasions when perhaps trying to be fancy wouldn't work well. What's wrong with simply, "We unleashed it"? Then follow that with a succinct description of what that power looks/feels like in a new paragraph for impact. "Telling" has its place, but in my experience it is much more suitable for internal monologues, philosophical narratives and anything thouhgtful or of a slower pace. It doesn't often lend itself well to action, except for a brief moment that acts as a pause - like the silence before the storm - and in your case, a line like "We unleashed it" would be that "pause". Of course, such dramatic pauses could work well as the final line of a scene - then move to scene break. Let the reader do the imagining however, you're still gonna have to describe something - the pause in and of itself can't do all the work. But perhaps describing the aftermath so readers don't see the actual blast - but they see the results of it - would be just as or more effective.
Thank you! It's a pleasure to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community. I think that is exactly the right way to go about it. Problem solved! Thank you so much
I do the same thing, I highlight a word or passage I'm not happy with and come back to it later. Sometimes the thesaurus isn't enough. This is a good place to ask for help. Even if a suggested word isn't right either, it can lead to another word or another way to write something. catastrophic is another word like cataclysmic apocalyptic disastrous And what @Mckk said. And, welcome to the forum.
I think ferocity would be great because it reminds me of a wild animalistic force with no hopes of being tamed or even understood.
